Care home residents and church volunteers came together for a carol singing event celebrating the true meaning of Christmas as part of a UK-wide campaign
On Friday 13 December Emmaus House care home in Harrogate, run by the charity Pilgrims’ Friend Society, came together for an afternoon of carolling with a difference as part of Shine Your Light, a national campaign that ran 13th-15th December.
The campaign encourages Christians of all denominations to celebrate the Christmas message in settings outside of church buildings. Over the three days, more than 900 carol singing and nativity events took place across the UK, with an estimated 100,000 participants.
At Emmaus House, which overlooks the town’s Valley Gardens, staff got creative to ensure residents could join in from the comfort of their own home. The upstairs lounge was lit with numerous fairy lights and candles and residents sat facing out of the large bay window, which was opened and the curtains thrown wide.
Hilary Dockerill, Activities and Community Engagement (ACE) Facilitator at the home:
The Christian faith is very important to those who live with us.
This was a lovely way for them to reflect on the importance of the Christian message and share their faith with the local community.
A small group of volunteers from local churches also gathered by the front door with the aim of increasing visibility and supporting the singing impact of the residents in the lounge above. These volunteers came from Harrogate Baptist Church, Mowbray Community Church, St Andrews Starbeck and Christchurch Harrogate.
Together, the two groups sang eight carols, with staff liaising via a phone link to keep the groups singing together. Musical accompaniment was provided on the piano by David Hughes, a retired Baptist minister and a regular volunteer at Emmaus House, while Administrator Gareth Saunders played the acoustic guitar.
Emmaus House resident Lyn, 79, said, “This event was a wonderful time for us to be able to ‘shine a light’ into the world and I hope and pray that people are reminded what Christmas is all about – JESUS!”
King Charles sent his “warmest good wishes” to everyone taking part in Shine Your Light, saying he “greatly admires” the campaign’s efforts to bring different denominations together.
